Exercise 1: Online and local library visits for Identifying Reference Sources and Reference Services
Rebecca Coates
ILS 504: Reference and Information Resources and Services
Dr. Sche
February 14, 2011
Internet Public Library Ready Reference site list
Almanac
Infoplease: All the Knowledge You Need Online version of the popular almanac. Provides a wealth of
facts, resources, and activities on a variety of subjects. An encyclopedia, almanac, dictionary, thesaurus,
and atlas, all in one! Includes the Random House Websters College Dictionary and the Columbia
Encyclopedia.
Associations & Organizations
Idealist.org A searchable directory of nearly 50,000 nonprofit organizations in over 160 countries.
Individuals can find jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, programs, campaigns, and events. Nonprofit
and community-based organizations can find consultants, freelancers, and other resources. Available in
English, Spanish, and French.
Biographies
Famous Adoptees and Foster Children "Biographical directory of influential and famous persons who
were adopted or spent time being raised by people other than their biological parents."
Calculation & Conversion Tools
Convertworld Convertworld is a unit conversion website. Currency can be calculated for 36 different
countries. The date cane also be changed to reflect the most current value of the currencies. Other
conversion areas are: length, temperature, weight, data storages, area, energy, pressure, speed, volume, and
time.
Calendars
The World Clock The current time at over 500 locations worldwide. It can be customized to show only
the cities you want.
Census Data & Demographics
United Nations Population Information Network Contains information about World population trends and
Regional Population Information and Networking.
Dictionaries
Phrasebase Language Learning Resources Phrasebase is a conversational language learning resource
center and community. It has an online phrasebook with words and phrases translated into over 90 different
languages, as well as country information, language information, and information for language exchange
pen pals.
Encyclopedias
History of Philosophy A large collection of online essays and web resources. Essay topics include
Camus, institutional suicide of Chinese Buddhism, and Ayn Rand. The encyclopedia of web resources
covers the following areas of Western philosophy: Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Late Antiquity, Mediaeval,
and Modern.
Experts & How-To
Howcast An extensive online video library of how-to videos. Some examples include: how to knit socks,
how to play the bass guitar, how to improve your focus, how to score big at yard sales, how to use social
media to boost your brainpower, plus "quick tip" videos such as how to get a song out of your head, how to
get rid of ants, and how to open a stuck jar.
Genealogy
Genealogy Buff Genealogy Buff is a free genealogy website designed especially for novice researchers of
genealogical information. Its key features include a thorough surname search tool and an easily navigable
homepage organized by topics that link to both free and subscription based genealogy websites.
Geography
Yale University Map Collection "The Map Collection has the largest collection of maps in Connecticut
and one of the largest university collections in the United States. Its collections are geographically
comprehensive and consist of over 200,000 map sheets, 3,000 atlases, and 900 reference books. The
Collection also houses approximately 15,000 rare (pre-1850) sheet maps."
Grammars
Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid Search for English definitions of 15,600 Latin words. There is also an
accompanying alphabetical wordlist and grammar aid, with examples of translations for the various uses of
several noun cases, and the endings for regular nouns, adjectives, active verbs, and present participles.
News & Current Events/
Australian Newspapers on the Internet Comprehensive list of links to Australian newspapers online. Part
of the National Library of Australia Internet Subject Lists project.
Periodical Directories/
Alternative Press Index This website is "dedicated to providing access to and increasing public awareness
of the alternative press." It contains a directory of publications indexed in the Alternative Press Index with
information such as publisher, editors, circulation, subscription cost, URL and contact information for each
entry.
Quotations
The Quotations Archive "The Quotations Archive is a comprehensive, searchable database of general
purpose quotations. Visitors to the web site can browse through quotations by subject, alphabetically by
author, or they can use the search engine to generate a listing of quotations containing selected keywords or
by a certain author."
Style & Writing Guides
Son of Citation Machine Does the thought of putting your resources into proper citation form scare you,
then you should check out this site. This site has you enter title, author, etc., and it will put them into proper
APA, MLA, or Turabian format.
Telephone & Address
WhitePages.com Search for people or businesses in this online directory from WhitePages, Inc. Includes
a reverse lookup feature to search for person or business names based on phone number or address. Also
features online promotions and links to international directory resources. Formerly known as
Click411.com.
Time & Weather
The Weather Channel The WWW version of cable TV's Weather Channel. Current weather information
and forecasting for the United States are easily accessed. This site also offers educational resources, such as
the "weather classroom." Weather news, advisories and facts of interest are available, as is the Weather
Channel's TV schedule.
Trivia
FunTrivia.com : the Trivia Website A collection of trivia fun, including an encyclopedia of trivia,
thousands of quizzes, hundreds of crosswords, links to interactive trivia public competitions, questions for
designing your own trivia tournament, and user forums. FunTrivia.com bills itself as the "World's Largest
Trivia and Quiz Site."
Titles found in the Reference Collection of Miller Memorial Library, Hamden, in the same categories
as those listed above
Almanac
Facts Plus: an Almanac of Essential Information
Anthony, Susan C.
Instructional Resources Co.
1992
REF/032/ANT
Associations
Encyclopedia of Associations
Gale Research Co.
2005
REF/061.3/En19 2005
Biographies
The Columbia Dictionary of Political Biography
Columbia University Press
1991
REF/920.02/COL
Calculations & Conversions
Two-way Conversion Tables of Units of Weights and Measures, Metric and United States Customary
Le Maraic, A.L.
Abbey Books
1953
Calendars
Dictionary of Dates compiled by Robert Collison
Collison, Robert Lewis
Greenwood Press
1969, c. 1961
902/C697d (REF)
Census & Demographics
Population Characteristics
United States Bureau of the Census
Washington, Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census
312/UN35p v.089
Dictionaries
A Guide to 25 Languages of Europe
Lyall, Archibald
Stackpole
1966, c. 1932
413/L89g
Encyclopedia
The World Book Encyclopedia
World Book
2009
READY REF/031/WOR
Genealogy
The Archives: a Guide to the National Archives Field Branches
Szucs, Loretta Kathryn Dennis
Ancestry Pub.
1988
016.978/Sz71a (REF)
Periodical Directory
Magazines for Libraries
Bowker
1969011.34/MAG
Quotations
Chambers Dictionary of Quotations
Ed. Alison Jones
Chambers
1997
REF/808.8/CHA
Style & Writing Guides
The Chicago Manual of Style
The University of Chicago Press
2010
REF/808.027/CHI
Trivia
The Trivia Encyclopedia
Smith, Logan Pearsall
Harcourt Brace & Company
1974
031.02/W899t (REF)
There is one listing for “indexes”, an e-reference. The information for
“indexes” is as follows:
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire [electronic
resource]
Gibbon, Edward 1737-1794
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
2008
The History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire
[electronic resource]
Salt Lake City : Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, 2008.
Notes:
Weblink:
Additional Author:
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There is no listing for “abstracts”
Categories for which titles with call numbers were not found in Miller Memorial Library, Hamden
Expert & How-To
Geography
Grammars
New & Current Events - Hamden subscribes to a number of newspapers and magazines, but the
newspapers are not cataloged and the magazines are part of the circulating collection
Telephone and Address – Local yellow and white pages are located behind the reference desk, but are not
cataloged and so have no call numbers
Time & Weather
An interview with a professional reference librarian
I interviewed Elisabeth, a reference librarian at Miller Memorial Library.
a.
Elisabeth identified ten user groups at Miller Memorial Library. The age groups identified were
adults, young adults (adolescents), children, and senior citizens. Students were designated as a
separate user group, and users originally from countries other than the US were discussed as a user
group while discussing a later question. The user groups for whom programming is most often
offered are families who attend story time, who are divided into three user groups based on the age
of the children attending. Other programs are offered for young adults and businesspeople, as well
as a book discussion group open to all ages.
b.
The user group that most often uses the library’s reference services is adults. The adults who use
the reference services are of all backgrounds and education levels. Their reference needs are often
help with computers, help with locating books, audiobooks, and seasonal information like tax
forms, as well as help finding addresses.
c.
The reference services offered are mostly Ready Reference and one-on-one help with computers,
as needed. Elisabeth told me we “don’t offer classes because of staffing, and also there’s no
room”. Hamden’s senior center is located next door to Miller Library. The two even share a
lobby and public restrooms. If senior citizens want to take a class in order to learn computer
skills, the reference staff refers them to the senior center.
d.
Questions and answers are asked and answered in person, over the telephone, or through e-mail,
but not by instant messaging. Other queries, such as interlibrary loan requests made by librarians
outside Hamden, are sometimes received through Fax message.
e.
Hamden libraries do not participate in any cooperative library reference services. Like other
Connecticut libraries, they were part of InfoAnytime until that service was cut from the
Connecticut libraries budget two years ago.
Elisabeth also talked to me about Hamden Libraries’ online presence. We have a Facebook page, a
Twitter (TotemTom), and a blog, through which we provide information to our patrons without being
asked. This allows us to promote our programs and seasonal displays, as well as our expertise.
Facebook also provides an opportunity for positive feedback from our patrons and the community at
large.